Motorchase has posted, if not the first review of the new Compass, the first review in English. With their blessing, we are posting a summary of writer Gustavo Henrique Ruffo’s Camp Jeep experience.

The tested Compass was Brazilian, and the US/Canadian model is likely to sport different engines than the tested Fiat diesel. The ZF nine-speed is common to both.

Body strength was shown off by a series of alternating holes that keep two or three wheels up in the air at a time. Mr. Ruffo reported that the Multijet diesel’s strong torque was more than enough for the off-road experience. “The Compass confidently overcame obstacles, even a 19-inch-high water tank (at 5 mph) [units converted from metric].”

From Camp Jeep, Mr. Ruffo concluded, “In all the trail-like situations, the Compass Trailhawk felt very comfortable to drive and also capable of dealing with most scenarios.”

For the 25-mile roadway drive, including city and highway, Motorchase again got the Trailhawk, and commented on the smoothness of the engine and the high visibility. They did say that the automatic didn’t change gears quickly enough in low-rev situations, but that acceleration was still good.

The Trailhawk, not surprisingly, has a stiff suspension, with “harsh and short” body motion, but high stability at speed and low body roll. Fortunately, Mr. Ruffo was also able to test the Longitude, and spoke more favorably of its road manners:

…the SUV was an example of good behavior. Potholes produced no harsh noises, only minor body shakes. … Uneven asphalt also does not cause the boat movements that often make passengers sick.

Motorchase praised the spaciousness in back, but criticized the low seats — while up front they noted the seats were comfortable but did not have enough thigh support in the off-roading course.

Mr. Ruffo concluded that the new Compass “will be a sales phenomenon” around the world. Priced competitively with compact sedans, but in crossover form, it is in the heart of the market. [Original story at Motorchase]